nitrile

American  

[nahy-tril, -treel, -trahyl] / ˈnaɪ trɪl, -tril, -traɪl /

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of a class of organic compounds with the general formula RC≡N.

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nitrile British  

/ ˈnaɪtrɪl, -traɪl /

noun

1. Also called (not in technical usage): cyanide.  any one of a class of organic compounds containing the monovalent group -CN

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nitrile Scientific  

/ nī′trəl /

1. An organic compound, such as acrylonitrile, containing the cyanide group CN. Nitriles are typically colorless solids or liquids and have a distinctive smell.

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Etymology

Origin of nitrile

1840–50; nitr- + -ile, perhaps variant of -yl

Example Sentences

Costs have been affected "across the board", including the price of condom material nitrile latex and natural rubber.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

To investigate further, the researchers tested seven different types of gloves, including nitrile, latex, and cleanroom varieties, along with commonly used methods for identifying microplastics.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

After Hartalega’s 3Q earnings beat, Wong raises the glove maker’s earnings forecasts for FY2026 by 99% to factor in stronger plant utilization, lower tax rates and reduced nitrile latex costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

A musician called Safana Bakleh gave her group of volunteers face masks and blue nitrile gloves along with instructions about photographing and collecting documents.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2024

Emulsin also decomposes amygdalin directly into these compounds without the intermediate formation of mandelic nitrile glucoside.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various